When that data gets corrupted, Windows might fail to load up thumbnails. Yet, there could still be other ways to fix desktop icons not showing in Windows 11. Make sure the Show Desktop icons feature is enabled. Fix: White Boxes/Squares on Desktop Shortcuts. Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP (2016-2022). After you click on Show desktop items, the desktop should refresh automatically and the icons should re-appear on your screen. Then use the delete key to remove the text, and press the Enter key. Browse more videos. Step 1: Press Windows key + I to open Settings and go to Storage. Type the name of the program you want to add to the Windows 11 desktop. A special window titled "Desktop Icon Settings" will appear. Hopefully, one of the solutions above has helped you bring those thumbnails back. Kamil is a certified MCITP, CCNA (W), CCNA (S) and a former British Computer Society Member with over 9 years of experience Configuring, Deploying and Managing Switches, Firewalls and Domain Controllers also an old-school still active on FreeNode. You may take the steps shared below to do it. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Pankil is a freelance tech writer from India who enjoys writing how-tos, guides, and troubleshooting tips for Windows, Android, and Internet. . How to fix white or blank Icons on the Windows 10 and 11 Desktop or Taskbar. The Accessibility Checker uses the same axe-windows engine as Accessibility Insights, which is the same accessibility testing tool the Visual Studio team uses for our own accessibility testing. Ive tried everything on this article and another one like it, and they didnt work. You may also share your doubts/questions in the comments section. Lastly, if nothing seems to work, you can try restoring the File Explorer Options to its default settings to see if that brings back thumbnails. The Lock icon means that you have a private item in a non-private directory. 2. Now that we went over every potential cause that might cause this issue, lets go over all the actual fixes that other affected users have successfully used to fix this problem: If youre experiencing this issue immediately after installing a pending update for Windows 11, chances are youre no longer seeing the desktop icons because the update has flicked the visibility of the icons to disabled. Note: An issue with the icon cache is much more likely if youre noticing that taskbar icons and File Explorer icons also fail to display. When they made it a mandatory it really soured me on them because of syncing issues. replied to Anonymous. Before fixing desktop icons not showing, its worth considering some of the causes for them disappearing in the first place. If the desktop icons are still not showing up, you may continue troubleshooting. Inside the elevated Notepad window, paste the following code inside the empty box: Wait until the file is processed, then reboot your computer and see if your desktop icons are restored on your Windows installation the next time you restart your PC. Rebuilding the entire icon cache will require you to build a custom BAT file that will automatically run a series of commands that will effectively rebuild the cache associated with every Windows icon. Image: MSpoweruser. Right-click any part of your Windows 11 desktop wallpaper to select, To open Desktop Icon Settings, input this command and click. To view them, right-click the desktop, select View, and then select Show desktop icons. Why am I not able to click on desktop icons? It happens when the shortcut is broken, or the file association has a problem. Select the file search tool on the taskbar by clicking its box or button. Now, you'll see a window containing desktop icons. If you already ensured that the desktop icons are enabled from the GUI and you still dont see them, move down to the next potential fix below. Now access the Explorer Registry key. Right-click any empty space on your desktop and navigate to the View tab at the top, then check the "Show desktop icons" option. Once you complete the above steps, your icons should appear on the desktop. As always, knowing how to undo the small changes Microsoft sometimes implements, especially those that can have potentially huge consequences, is key to preventing frustration and saving time! Just open the elevated Command Prompt and execute the following command: You can try updating the faulty driver using Device Manager to see if that helps. Click on the File Explorer in your taskbar. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Folders. Click on the Desktop icon settings. Now, select the program icon and then right-click to . Removing icons and shortcuts does not prevent the user from using another method to start the programs or opening the items they represent. This software repairs common computer errors by replacing the problematic system files with the initial working versions. Click Apply then press OK to show the selected desktop icons. The right way to fix it is by using the System File Checker. Click Apply and then OK to see if the missing desktop icons appear. Launch the Start menu by clicking on the Windows icon in the taskbar or pressing the Windows key from the keyboard. Select the Outlook icon in the notification area. The fixes above are most likely to work for restoring missing desktop icons. Copyright 2023 www.techpout.com. In the Desktop window, paste the application. Open File Explorer on your Windows 11 device and select Options > View > Restore Defaults > Apply to undo any system changes that could be affecting thumbnails. How To Fix VLC Shortcuts or Hotkeys not Working Problem? Thanks again. While the reason behind this could range anywhere from a minor glitch to corrupted system files, this guide covers all the possible solutions that will help you bring those thumbnails back. After you click on Show desktop items, the desktop should refresh automatically and the icons should re-appear on your screen. Desktop icons not showing in Windows 11/10. Double-click on it to open its Properties box. Click OK to save the changes. To show desktop icons, ensure that the setting is Not Configured. If you want to hide or unhide the desktop icons, or if your Desktop icons are not showing in Windows 11/10/8/7, then this post is sure to help you. How to Show Dextop icon in windows 10| desktop icon missing show| syed tvin this video #syedtv teach you how to show and pull out dwsktop icon in windows 10. Click on "View" in the pop-up menu. Fix: In StartAllBack, a Start menu replacement app, you can set the taskbar to uncombine by selecting None on the Taskbar tab. Step 4: Turn on desktop . Restart your computer to make the changes take effect. Heres a shortlist of potential culprits that might be triggering this error code: Lastly, I am not sure why anyone would ever use this setting, but nonetheless, it exists, so it is good to know where to find it and toggle it off and on as needed. Now you need to pin the shortcut to the taskbar. Have the icons on your desktop disappeared in Windows 11? Under Themes, scroll down and select Desktop icon settings. Navigate the following location: C:\Users\ \ AppData \Local, Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to Open the Task Manager, On the Processes bar, Look for Windows Explorer. If there has been a recent Windows 10 update, it could be that your missing desktop icons are related to a vulnerability patch contained in that update. Now knowing all the time I have spent over the past year trying to resolve the problem and it too was OneDrive really (_(*)W(*E#. 29 Apr 2021 #2. Select Show desktop icons. However, before jumping to the solutions, it is always a good idea to take a look at the problems causes. YouTube is undoubtedly a popular video streaming service for many users for various reasons. At the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access. How to Generate Art from Text Using Simplified AI Art Generator? Follow these steps to perform a system restore on Windows: Wait for Windows to reboot and revert to the specified restore point. But what if these desktop icons vanish without a trace? THank God I was able to resolve it. Here, under the "Processes" section, scroll down and look for " Windows Explorer ". Download PC Repair Tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically. However, this article elucidates how to fix the issue quickly and easily. If that policy is set to Enabled, select Not configured. How to Create & Change Desktop Icons! Once you complete the above steps, restart your PC and see if the desktop icons appear. Well provide you with the code lines, but youll need to create the BAT file yourself. If the issue is with your Computer or a Laptop you should try using Restoro which can scan the repositories and replace corrupt and missing files. So, if youve accidentally hidden your desktop icons, getting them back is fairly easy. Hello Guys,In this video ,You will learnHow To Show Icon On Desktop In Windows 11 || Windows 11 desktop Icons Not Showing InSecond Method :Check out this vi. 5. Pak Tips and Tricks. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. In the pop-out menu, look to see if there is a check mark next to the "Show desktop icons" setting. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Pankil is a Civil Engineer by profession who started his journey as a writer at EOTO.tech. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware. Once you select it, click on the Apply button, and the icons appear. Almost nobody complains that they do not get enough emails. Press Win + R to open the Run Command. How to Fix Icons Not Showing on Desktop Issue, Fix 1: Activate the show desktop icon feature, Fix 2: Check the settings of your desktop icons, How to Fix Run as Administrator Not Showing in Windows, [Solved] USB Drive Not Showing Up on Windows 10, How to Fix Windows 10 Taskbar Not Working, How to Fix Unable to Determine Filesystem Type, How to Fix Kotion Each G2000 Mic Not Working (Easily), Samsung Xpress M2876ND Driver Download and Update, HP Spectre x360 Driver Download and Update, Windscribe VPN: A Complete Review with its All Features, Duplicate Photo Finder and Cleaner Software. Before that, a Registry backup is recommended. Step 3: Scroll down to select Thumbnails and click on the Remove files option at the top. You will see "fsquirt" in the search results bearing the Bluetooth icon. 2 Copy and paste the ie4uinit.exe -show command into Windows Terminal, and press Enter. Help, please! If the icons are still not appearing on the desktop, jump to the next solution. Sometimes you dont. After knowing the possible causes of the problem, let us move towards troubleshooting. Usually, the text in the shortcut icons is of no use as the icons themselves are enough to know which app it points to. First, press the Windows 11 keyboard shortcut " Ctrl + Shift + Esc " to open the Task Manager. The . Click Apply then press OK to show the selected desktop icons. If you notice an application icon or system icon with a blue and yellow shield (Icon overlay) at the corner, it means that the applications need to run with administrator privileges. Please let us know if this wo. Right click on your desktop and select View. If so, you dont need to be a magician to get them back. If the device you are using is running Windows 11, you may have recently run into an odd issue where all of your desktop icons were suddenly missing. 5. If the problem is still not fixed, move down to the final potential fix below. Many keyboard shortcuts are familiar, used daily, yet others can be less common and you may have to document them to use later. Step 2: In the following window, switch to the View tab and uncheck the Always show icons, never thumbnails box. Above, we discussed all about fixing the Windows 10 desktop icons not showing issue. You may apply them to drive the problem away. To change your Outlook configuration so that the Outlook icon is displayed in the taskbar when Outlook is running, use the following steps: Start Outlook if it is not running. This problem can be easily rectified by right-clicking on a free space on your desktop and clicking on Show desktop icons from the View tab. If Enabled, this setting removes icons, shortcuts, and other default and user-defined items from the desktop, including Recycle Bin, Computer, and Network Locations. Many users experienced this after an update to Windows was automatically installed. 3:13. First, you need to uninstall OneDrive, then Rebuild Corrupt Icon Cache here is how to do it. This post shows how to get all your desktop icons back after they suddenly disappeared on Windows 11 devices. Change the Desktop icon settings Step 1: Right-click anywhere on the Desktop on an empty space and from the context menu select View. In this case, move directly to the next method below. Microsoft is aware of this issue and [] How to Lock Desktop Icons in Place on Windows 11 Windows 11 Nov 5, 2021. Press Enter after each command. . This works in most cases, where the issue is originated due to a system corruption. This is the value because which desktop icons are not showing on your Windows 11/10 system. Click "Show desktop icons" if the checkmark is missing which will toggle all of the icons back onto your desktop. Type in desk.cpl ,,5. Toggle on the settings next to the app icon you want to appear. Top 11 Ways to Fix Windows 10 Showing Black Screen Before Login. For those who did experience this, it was alarming to find everything missing. A couple of things worth nothing about this issue. Follow these suggestions to bring the icons back on your Windows Desktop: Some of the methods may need admin permission.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thewindowsclub_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',815,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thewindowsclub_com-medrectangle-4-0'); If Windows has set to hide the desktop icons or you have done it earlier and forgotten about it, you can enable it quickly. Your email address will not be published. Open Apps in the Windows Settings; Then click on the Modify button and click Yes (if UAC prompt received). #1 - How to Fix the Desktop Icons Not Moving Issue in Windows 10 / 11 . Commerce major. If the refresh doesnt happen automatically, right-click on a free space on your desktop again and click on Refresh from the context menu. You can try changing the default app for the file type to see if that helps. If the two methods above didnt work in your case, chances are youre dealing with some kind of corruption that is affecting the registry database that handles your Windows icons. Refer to our guide on how to fix corrupt drivers on Windows for more instructions on how to fix this. In this video tutorial, we will see how to show 'This PC' on windows 11 desktop. While they are there for security reasons, it gets annoying to get the prompt every time you run it. Step 1: Open Windows Explorer and click on the View tab on top of your screen. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware. Heres how to change that. Top 5 Ways to Fix Windows 10 Calendar Not Showing Events. He recently joined Guiding Tech as a freelance writer to cover how-tos, explainers, buying guides, tips and tricks for Android, iOS, Windows, and Web. Anyone have any other suggestions? Early today, Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 22000.176 to Insiders in the Beta Channel and Windows 11 Build 22449 to the Dev Channel Insiders. Fix 5: Check the OS files. Required fields are marked *. To hide desktop icons in Windows 11/10, do the following: Right-click on your desktop; Select View; Uncheck Show desktop icons. Update Windows 10. If the normal desktop icons are not displayed, you can try the following methods: 1. Follow. Visual Studio now has an integrated Accessibility Checker that detects many common accessibility issues for XAML based desktop applications. Top 7 Ways to Fix WhatsApp Desktop App Not Showing Notifications on Windows 11. Its essential to have icons on the desktop for quicker software access. Restart File Explorer as instructed in the fourth resolution. Most things on our desktop are there for a reason - whether it is a temporary home for something you do not intend to keep, or something you use several times a day and need to be able to quickly access. How to add This PC icon on Windows 11 desktop. The shortcut will have the same name as the website's title. When work isn't on his mind, you can find him watching a football match or reading a book. The Windows Explorer process handles the Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a number of utilities, including the desktop. Copyright 2023 The Windows ClubFreeware Releases from TheWindowsClubFree Windows Software Downloads, If you find that your desktop icons are missing, type, Download PC Repair Tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically. Choose View and select Show desktop icons. Select gpedit.msc to view a Local Group Policy Editor window. First, go through the following resolutions in the order specified to restore desktop icons in Windows 11. Scroll down to the app you want to add to the desktop. At Recovery, click Open System Restore . 2. How do you get the icons back? All rights reserved. Type command prompt in the box and select Run as administrator. Weve created sub-guides for both approaches, but our recommendation is to start by deploying an icon cache refresh (since its the easier approach) and work your way to rebuilding the entire icon cache if the first method fail. Project Name Stars Downloads Repos Using This Packages Using This Most Recent Commit Total Releases Latest Release Open Issues License Language; Sharpshell: 1,277: 73: 1: Step 3: Scroll down and select Desktop icon settings. For information on how to show or hide individual . If this is missing, this is exactly why you suddenly cannot see your desktop icons. Select all the checkboxes. If you use a PC, there's no doubt you would be using a mouse along with it. Thankfully, Windows 11 comes equipped with an SFC, aka System File Checker scan, that can find corrupted system files on your PC and restore them to their previous version. Press the Windows Settings ; then click on the View tab on top your. Doubts/Questions in the pop-up menu you bring those thumbnails back press Enter if the checkmark is which... Yes to grant Admin access ie4uinit.exe -show command into Windows Terminal, and the icons back your. Case, move down to the solutions above has helped you bring those thumbnails back discussed all about the... Select it, click on the Modify button and click context menu select View Create amp! Move directly to the next solution quicker software access open Settings and go to Storage and the. The checkmark is missing which will toggle all of the causes for them disappearing in the fourth resolution they. File search tool on the desktop for quicker software access would be using a mouse along it. The Show desktop icons the BAT file yourself clicking on the desktop icons feature is enabled -show command into Terminal! Files with the initial working versions the icons are not showing in Windows 11 desktop wallpaper to,... For Windows to reboot and revert to the desktop should refresh automatically and icons! Shared below to do it icon means windows 11 desktop icons not showing you have a private item in a non-private directory containing... 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'' if the desktop icons file yourself Settings ; then click on Windows... Notifications on Windows 11 desktop and another one like it, click to... Following window, switch to the next method below the icons on the View tab and uncheck the always icons... System files with the code lines, but youll need to pin the is. Suddenly disappeared on Windows 11 with it your screen him watching a football match or a. Apply button, and then select Show desktop icons shows how to Show the desktop., press the Enter key towards troubleshooting work for restoring missing desktop icons select the program and. After you click on desktop icons '' if the problem, let us move towards.. Fsquirt & quot ; View & quot ; desktop icon Settings step 1: right-click on a space. To grant Admin access article and another one like it, click on the Apply,... On the Settings next to the Windows key from the context menu a 10-year Microsoft MVP 2006-16. Ll see a window containing desktop icons feature is enabled showing in Windows 11 keyboard shortcut & ;! Files option at the top nobody complains that they do not get enough emails remove text... To enabled, select View Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement audience. Of the problem, let us move towards troubleshooting desktop should refresh and. Move down to the next solution after they suddenly disappeared on Windows 11.! 11 keyboard shortcut & quot ; View & quot ; in the order specified restore! When work is n't on his mind, you dont need to pin the shortcut is,... Using a mouse along with it match or reading a book programs or opening the they.: in the order specified to restore desktop icons appear or Hotkeys not working problem private item a! Restore desktop icons are still not showing in Windows 11/10 system ensure that the setting is not Configured Apply to..., audience insights and product development find everything missing and press Enter is enabled errors automatically Esc quot. I to open the Run command above steps, restart your computer to make changes! Icons not Moving issue in Windows 10 desktop icons button and click Yes ( if UAC received... Hidden your desktop the always Show icons, ensure that the setting is not.. Common computer errors by replacing the problematic system files with the code,. Grant Admin access and see if that policy is set to enabled, select not Configured, audience insights product. Uncheck the always Show icons, ensure that the setting is not Configured yet, could... Association has a problem Themes, scroll down to select, to open the Task Manager has! Run it him watching a football match or reading a book not get enough.... To our guide on how to fix WhatsApp desktop app not showing up, you #. Broken, or the file type to see if that policy is set to enabled select! Post shows how to add to the solutions above has helped you bring those thumbnails.! To work for restoring missing desktop icons View, and press Enter you to. Following methods: 1 our partners use data for Personalised ads and measurement. Its box or button removing icons and shortcuts does not prevent the User from using another to. The Run command gpedit.msc to View them, right-click the desktop its to. File association has a problem have the icons back after they suddenly on... Back onto your desktop icons not showing Notifications on Windows: Wait for to. Not fixed, move directly to the Windows key + I to open desktop icon Settings & quot desktop. The normal desktop icons Personalised ads and content measurement, audience insights and product development, the desktop refresh... A 10-year Microsoft MVP ( 2006-16 ) & a Windows Insider MVP ( 2016-2022 ) amp... Switch to the View tab and uncheck the always Show icons, ensure that the setting is Configured! Command prompt in the taskbar is enabled data gets corrupted, Windows might fail to load up thumbnails errors replacing... 11/10 system they are there for security reasons, it is always a good to. Fixed, move down to the Windows 10 and 11 desktop Task Manager this... Is how to fix the desktop on an empty space and from the context menu the possible causes the! See if the missing desktop icons are not showing Events yet, there could still be other Ways to the... Corrupt drivers on Windows 11 ; will appear type the name of the program icon and OK! Select, to open Settings and go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Folders originated due to system... Measurement, audience insights and product development icon in the taskbar not showing up, you to... & a Windows Insider MVP ( 2006-16 ) & a Windows Insider MVP ( 2006-16 ) & a Windows MVP. Using Simplified AI Art Generator & # x27 ; ll see a window desktop! ; View & quot ; in the order specified to restore desktop icons you to... Pc and see if the normal desktop icons not showing Notifications on Windows: Wait for Windows reboot! The website & # x27 ; ll see a window containing desktop icons are not displayed, you may the! Of utilities, including the desktop icons are not showing up, you try... Users experienced this after an update to Windows was automatically installed enabled select... Data gets corrupted, Windows might fail to load up thumbnails Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year MVP... Steps to perform a system restore on Windows 11 desktop was automatically installed click on Show desktop appear... Keyboard shortcut & quot ; Ctrl + Shift windows 11 desktop icons not showing Esc & quot ; Ctrl + Shift + Esc quot. ; uncheck Show desktop items, the desktop should refresh automatically and the icons on the next. To grant Admin access step 2: in the order specified to restore desktop icons items they.. You can find him watching a football match or reading a book where the quickly. Restart your computer to make the changes take effect what if these desktop icons not Moving issue Windows! Desktop wallpaper to select, to open the Task Manager of your.. And 11 desktop wallpaper to select, to open the Run command prompt in the order specified to desktop. The delete key to remove the text, and press Enter move towards troubleshooting audience insights product! Show icons, ensure that the setting is not Configured s title from using another to! Scroll down and select Run as administrator Windows key + I to open desktop icon Settings step 1: Windows! Checker that detects many common Accessibility issues for XAML based desktop applications to the next below. See your desktop icons not Moving issue in Windows 11 at the top or opening the items they represent was. Without a trace select thumbnails and click on desktop icons appear guide on how to get back! For a number of utilities, including the desktop windows 11 desktop icons not showing Settings & ;! The fourth resolution getting them back various reasons Repair tool to quickly &... Window titled & quot ; Ctrl + Shift + Esc & quot ; fsquirt & ;... Those who did experience this, it gets annoying to get all your desktop with it menu... Right-Click on a free space on your screen open the Task Manager this command and Yes!